Tokyo Olympic Games — Amateur Boxing In Review
After a breathless two weeks, we’ve come to the end of Tokyo 2021. I’ll admit it feels a little sad, having waited so long for the Olympics only for it to be over in the blink of an eye. But I’m also delighted that on the biggest stage of all, amateur boxing shined brighter than it has done in decades. For once, incompetent judging didn’t steal the headlines — this was all about the best fighting the best, and when that happens we get some truly unforgettable moments. From surprise packages to stunning upsets, brutal wars to tactical chess matches, Tokyo gave us a little bit of everything. So let’s have a look back at some of the highlights from the games, including the best fights, the outstanding boxers of the tournament and who to keep an eye on for the future.
Best Fights
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Hovhannes Bachkov vs. Javid Chalabiyev (63kg Round of 16) — A clear frontrunner for Fight of the Year 2021, these rivals from Armenia and Azerbaijan - two countries that aren’t exactly on friendly terms with each other — combined to create fireworks and then some. Neither man gave an inch in an all-action thriller fought at breakneck pace, with both national pride and a place in the quarterfinals on the line. Bachkov ultimately prevailed, but he was pushed all the way by a spirited Chalabiyev who showed a ton of heart. You don’t want to miss this one.
Oleksandr Khyzhniak vs. Eumir Marcial (75kg Semifinal) — A clash between two of amateur boxing’s premier action fighters was always going to be violent, and boy did it deliver. Marcial produced one of the finest performances of his career here, going toe-to-toe with Khyzhniak as the pair exchanged bombs in the pocket. But Khyzhniak’s pace ultimately proved too much to live with, as an exhausted Marcial faded down the stretch which saw the Ukrainian claim a deserved 3:2 split decision. My personal favourite bout of the tournament, and another strong contender for FOTY 2021.
Andy Cruz vs. Keyshawn Davis (63kg Final) — If you enjoy high-level bouts with superb skill on display, then look no further than Cruz-Davis. A showdown between the two-time world champion and budding American star was the most anticipated matchup of the games, and we got another close, competitive contest with both showing why they’re the two best amateur boxers on the planet. Cruz took the first round on four cards, only for Davis to battle back and sweep the second to set up a tense finale. The Cuban was ultimately that little bit better in the end, winning the third to triumph over his rival and bag Olympic gold. A brilliant way to cap off two weeks of boxing in Tokyo.
Mirco Cuello vs. Hamsat Shadalov (57kg Preliminaries) — The best bout of the prelims, 20 year-old Mirco Cuello edged Chechen-born Hamsat Shadalov of Germany by razor-thin 3:2 split decision in a high-paced fight with plenty of back-and-forth action. Both men had their moments — and three rounds wasn’t nearly enough to separate them really — but I thought Cuello just nicked it. Hopefully we can see them run it back in the pro’s someday!
Abner Teixeira vs. Hussein Iashaish (91kg Quarterfinal) — Teixeira looked to keep this fight on the outside at first, but that plan quickly went up in smoke as Iashaish jumped on him from the opening bell. Realising that the Jordanian wasn’t going to let up anytime soon, Teixeira dug his heels in and met Iashaish head on in a fight which quickly turned into an all-out brawl. Both men duked it out for three rounds, winging some huge shots from all kinds of angles, but it was the Brazilian who got the nod with the judges preferring his more polished work. Whilst this one wasn’t always pretty to watch, as far as slugfests go there’s not much more you can ask for.
Richard Torrez Jr. vs. Kamshybek Kunkabayev (91+kg Semifinal) — There’s nothing quite like a scrap between boxing’s big men, and Richard Torrez’s upset win over Kamshybek Kunkabayev was super-heavyweight action at its best. The fight started out as expected — Kunkabayev boxing at range whilst Torrez doggedly pursued — however the Kazakh was forced to fight more aggressively after a flush overhand caught the eye of the judges and earned Torrez the opening round on four of the cards. The pair traded heavy leather but it was the stocky American southpaw who came off the better, scoring a hard knockdown at the end of the second before closing the show with a perfectly timed left hand that opened a deep cut on Kunkabayev’s nose. Torrez advanced to the final, whilst Kunkabayev — always the bridesmaid and never the bride — missed out on the big dance this time around.
Galal Yafai vs. Saken Bibossinov (52kg Semifinal) — Fresh off the back of a win over former world champion Yosvany Veitía in the quarters, Galal Yafai was brimming with confidence coming into this semi-final — and he enjoyed a perfect start here, stunning Bibossinov with fast, accurate combinations and dropping him on a crisp left hand. Having weathered an early storm, the Kazakh battled back as he matched Yafai’s work-rate to take the second on three of the cards. The intensity carried over to the final stanza with both men continuing to trade, but Yafai did enough to seal a narrow 3:2 split decision win and book his place in the final.
Rogelio Romero vs. Luka Plantic (81kg Round of 16) — What this fight lacked in quality it made up for in entertainment, as Plantic piled on the pressure from the opening bell and threatened to overwhelm Romero early on. The Mexican fired back with some heavy artillery of his own in the second, buzzing Plantic on a handful of occasions, with the fight going down to the wire in a final round shootout as both men swung for the fences. Romero finished the stronger man and was rewarded with a 4:1 majority decision, but Plantic gave everything he had here and bowed out of Tokyo with his head held high.
Imam Khataev vs. Bekzad Nurdauletov (81kg Round of 16) — This fight was straight up brutal, a physical, punishing contest where both men landed the kind of shots that would send most light-heavyweights to sleep. Khataev started strong, scoring with clubbing right hands and hooks that snapped Nurdauletov’s head back, but the world champion responded in the second with some bone-crunching left hands of his own. The Russian’s sustained body attack paid dividends in the last round though, preventing an exhausted Nurdauletov from mounting a late comeback. A gruelling battle between these two iron men, with Khataev getting his revenge after Nurdauletov beat him at the Governor Cup in St. Petersburg a few months prior.
Julio César La Cruz vs. Enmanuel Reyes (91kg Quarterfinal) — I didn’t expect a meeting between two Cuban-schooled slicksters to rank among the best fights in Tokyo, yet that’s exactly what we got when Julio César La Cruz squared off against old foe Enmanuel Reyes in the quarter-finals. Both men knew eachother well, having fought on a number of occasions back in the fiercely competitive Cuban domestic scene with La Cruz winning on each occasion. But Reyes had enjoyed a career resurgence after transferring to Spain, moving up a division and quickly establishing himself as one of the best heavyweights in the world. The Spanish import came into this one on a hot streak after knocking out Olympic silver medallist Vassiliy Levit in the preliminary round, whilst La Cruz — who had only made the jump to 91kg a year prior — looked half a step slower at the new weight despite dominating his opening bout. In a cagey opener, La Cruz reverted back to his typical style — dancing on his toes whilst raiding from distance — and was rewarded with an early lead on the cards before Reyes levelled things up in the second, finding success punching with his opponent and catching La Cruz with two right hands that were controversially ruled as slips. Everything rested on an a fiery final round, with both men exchanging in the centre of the ring as they looked to finish the stronger and catch the eye of the judges. La Cruz had the last word though, taking the third across the board to run out a 4:1 winner. A tense, closely-fought affair with plenty of skill and action on display.
Honourable mentions; Saken Bibossinov vs. Billal Bennama (52kg), Javid Chalabiyev vs. Yaroslav Khartsyz (63kg), Gabil Mamedov vs. Damian Durkacz (63kg), Elnur Abduraimov vs. Baatarsukh Chinzorig (63kg), Oleksandr Khyzhniak vs. Euri Cedeno (75kg).
The Val Barker Trophy
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You may have noticed that the Val Barker Trophy — which is awarded to the best boxer at the Olympics by a panel of AIBA officials — was absent this year, due to the tournament in Tokyo being organised by the IOC rather than AIBA. Whilst there may be no official winner, I’ve drawn up a list of candidates who were in the running for the award and will be assessing their respective cases, before ultimately deciding on a winner. It’s worth keeping in mind that the Val Barker has always been subjective bullshit so there’s no official criteria for it, although I’ll be taking into account quality of opposition, level of dominance and the eye test here.
Andy Cruz (CUB) — Cruz kicked off his Olympic campaign with a masterclass against Britain’s Luke McCormack, before putting on another impressive display against a very good fighter in Wanderson de Oliveira. He was too good for awkward Aussie Harry Garside in the semi’s, and secured gold with a close but clear decision over arch-rival Keyshawn Davis in what was the best win of the tournament. Whilst Cruz’s run wasn’t as tough as some of the other nominees, there’s no doubt that the Cuban is the best amateur boxer on the planet and his performances in Tokyo cement that.
Hebert Sousa (BRA) — Sousa had to go through a murderer’s row at middleweight, and whilst he wasn’t always convincing the Brazilian kept finding a way to win. A tough opener against China’s Tuohetaerbieke Tanglatihan saw Sousa edge a 3:2 split decision, and he got a bit of luck against 2017 World Championship silver-medallist Abilkhan Amankul in a fight that could’ve gone either way. In the semi’s, the #3 seed survived a late scare to beat reigning world champion Gleb Bakshi before producing a comeback for the ages in the final, knocking out Ukrainian terminator Oleksandr Khyzhniak to claim gold. Based off strength of schedule alone, Sousa is in with a serious shout here.
Roniel Iglesias (CUB) — Iglesias got off to a shaky start in Tokyo, barely edging past home favourite Sewonrets Okazawa by split-decision and looking solid rather than spectacular against Delante Johnson. But he improved as the tournament progressed, outpointing reigning world champion Andrey Zamkovoy in the semi’s before dropping a masterclass against top-seed Pat McCormack to take Olympic gold in a second weight class. The Cuban veteran had one of the toughest runs in Tokyo, and his performances at the business-end of the tournament put him firmly in contention.
Albert Batyrgaziev (RUS) — Taking gold in a stacked 57kg field was always going to be a tall order, and Batyrgaziev certainly did it the hard way. After opening his Olympic account with a comfortable win over the tricky Alex de la Cruz, the Russian came from behind to beat Asian champion Erdenebat Tsendbaatar and narrowly edged past four-time world champion Lazaro Álvarez in the semi-finals, prevailing on a 3:2 split. Batyrgaziev was more convincing in the final though, taking a close but clear decision over Duke Ragan to top the medal podium. You could argue that Batyrgaziev benefitted from getting the rub of the green with the judges at times, but in a division as competitive as 57kg there were always going to be a number of close fights. Considering who he beat en route, Bartygaziev was one of the most impressive performers in Japan.
Galal Yafai (GBR) — Yafai belongs in the Val Barker conversation by virtue of winning gold in amateur boxing’s toughest division, and a string of impressive performances along the way certainly strengthen his claim. The Brit looked terrific in a stoppage win over Armenia’s Koryun Soghomonyan, and whilst he was frustrated by the tricky Patrick Chinyemba Yafai produced one of the finest displays of his career to beat 2017 world champion Yosvany Veitía in the quarter-finals. An in-form Saken Bibossinov proved a tough test in the semi’s, and although the Kazakh battled to make this close a blistering start from Yafai ultimately proved the difference. The final played out similarly, with Yafai scoring an early knockdown before Paalam began to settle and enjoy success of his own, but the judges favoured the man from Birmingham as he took a clear decision to become the Olympic champion. If I was to nitpick, I’d say that a win over the likes of Zoirov or Martínez would have put Yafai over the top — then again, you can only beat who’s in front of you.
The Verdict — You could make a compelling case for any of these five really, so I was always going to be splitting hairs when it came to making a decision. That being said, I think Andy Cruz shades it. The Cuban stands out when it comes to the eye test, and above all he was consistently dominant throughout the tournament with only Keyshawn Davis posing a challenge. On the contrary Sousa, Yafai, Iglesias and Batyrgaziev could have all gone home prematurely if not for some lucky breaks, and in a race this tight those fine margins make the difference.
Best Performances
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Julio César La Cruz vs. Muslim Gadzhimagomedov (91kg Final) — Up until the final, reigning world champion Muslim Gadzhimagomedov had been outstanding in Tokyo and seemed a level above the rest of the heavyweight field. Coming off of an impressive victory over David Nyika in the semi’s, Gadzhimagomedov was favoured to take gold against an ageing Julio César La Cruz who, for all of his achievements, looked as vulnerable as we’d ever seen him. The Cuban sneaked by compatriot-turned-rival Enmanuel Reyes in the quarters, and his athletic gifts had clearly waned through a combination of age and moving up in weight. Yet La Cruz rolled back the years with a vintage display in the final, outclassing Gadzhimagomedov to claim a second Olympic gold. The Russian tried everything he could to get a foothold in the contest, but was left chasing shadows for 9 minutes as La Cruz glided around the ring with his typical swagger. Arguably the finest performance of La Cruz’s storied career.
Roniel Iglesias vs. Pat McCormack (69kg Final) — What promised to be an intriguing final between an ageing great and the #1 seed quickly turned into a clinic, as Iglesias seized the initiative from the opening bell and never let up. A tentative McCormack struggled to get anything going, looking a little bewildered at times, and he was lucky not to receive a count early in the second after being clipped by a well-timed left hand. Trailing on the cards, the Brit tried to rally in the third round but Iglesias was content to sit on the backfoot and use his experience to run down the clock, slamming the door on any hopes of a late fightback. Whilst McCormack didn’t have his best day at the office — he was too predictable, which made things easy for Iglesias - there’s no question that the Cuban was just too skilled and savvy, making a very good opponent look ordinary.
Galal Yafai vs. Yosvany Veitía (52kg Quarterfinal) — These two had met previously at the 2019 World Championships, with Yafai getting the better of an out-of-sorts Veitía. The Cuban was back to his best in Tokyo though, dominating Ghana’s Sulemanu in the round of 16 to stake his claim as the man to beat at flyweight. But Yafai had other ideas, refusing to get drawn into a boxing match as he pressured the silky-skilled Veitía from the opening bell and denied him the time and space to settle. The Brit straight up outhustled his opponent here, and whilst Veitía had his moments he couldn’t match Yafai’s work-rate nor keep the fight at range. A great performance and an even better win for Yafai over the 2017 flyweight world champion.
Benjamin Whittaker vs. Imam Khataev (81kg Semifinal) — Russia’s Imam Khataev had bulldozed through pretty much everyone in his path en route to the semi-finals, and you’d be forgiven for thinking that he’d be too strong for Britain’s Benjamin Whittaker, who was unconvincing in a 3:2 split-decision win over Keno Machado. But in a classic style matchup between a stocky, heavy-handed pressure fighter and a rangy outboxer, it was Whittaker who came out on top with his movement and length nullifying the dangerous Russian. Khataev struggled to cut the ring off and force Whittaker to exchange with him in the pocket, and he never really looked like coming up with an answer as the Brit bossed the fight from start to finish. An impressive win against an opponent in white-hot form, and right up there amongst the best displays of the tournament.
Yuberjen Martínez vs. Amit Panghal (52kg Round of 16) — Top seed Amit Panghal started brightly, opening up a lead on four of the cards after impressing the judges with slick movement and counters. But things quickly went south when Martínez dialled up the pressure in the second round, with Amit falling into full retreat as the Colombian fired off combinations to the head and body. The #1 seed was simply overwhelmed, and by the third round he was pretty much running away in order to get any sort of reprieve. A real statement from Martínez, an Olympic silver medalist at Rio 2016, who may well have gone one better in Tokyo if not for some incompetent judging.
Enmanuel Reyes vs. Vassiliy Levit (91kg Round of 16) — Vassiliy Levit has been on the receiving end of plenty of robberies throughout his career, but there was no controversy this time around as he was routed by the excellent Enmanuel Reyes. The Cuban-born Spaniard backed Levit up in the opening round - dictating when and where the exchanges took place and timing the Kazakh’s jab with counters over the top — before closing the show with a knockout early in the second round. Whilst Levit hasn’t quite been the same fighter in the last couple of years, the manner in which he was beaten made this one of the most memorable displays in Tokyo.
Andy Cruz vs. Luke McCormack (63kg Preliminaries) — Luke McCormack is a quality fighter, one who gave Olympic silver-medallist Sofiane Oumiha all kinds of trouble at the European Olympic qualifiers last month, but Cruz was on another level here. The reigning world champion was in total control throughout, dictating the fight behind a sharp jab and always staying two or three steps ahead, and McCormack couldn’t really do anything with him. This was Cruz at his very best, with blistering speed, surgical accuracy and flawless technique all on show, and few can dazzle like the Cuban when he’s in full flow.
Kurt Walker vs. Mirazizbek Mirzakhalilov (57kg Round of 16) — I thought Walker lost this fight, but he deserves real credit for putting in an outstanding performance against the reigning world champion and pushing him all the way. The Irishman was a heavy underdog, but he came in with a gameplan — use his footwork to evade Mirzakhalilov’s pressure and stay out of range — and executed it brilliantly, setting a high work-rate on the backfoot as his lateral movement frustrated the Uzbek. Mirzakhalilov began to have more success in the second though, chewing Walker up in the pocket when he held his feet, and it looked as if the world champion was on the verge of taking over. But Walker weathered the storm and finished strong with two eye-catching shots that snapped Mirzakhalilov’s head back, and three of the judges thought that was enough to give him the round. Mirzakhalilov continued to pile on the pressure in the third, yet Walker hung on to see the fight out and claim the finest victory of his career.
Keyshawn Davis vs. Hovhannes Bachkov (63kg Semifinal) — Both men were coming into this one on the back of impressive wins, and Bachkov — the reigning European champion — looked a serious threat to Davis’ hopes of a dream final against Andy Cruz, having given him a tough night at the 2019 World Championships. But Davis had matured since their last encounter and he got his tactics spot on, giving the Armenian fits with lateral movement and unlocking his high-guard with intelligent punch-picking. Davis also proved to be the stronger man up close, with Bachkov unable to impose himself and bully the young American in the pocket. Whilst a bullshit point deduction for holding made this closer than it needed to be, Davis still ran out a clear winner and underlined why he’s one of the most promising talents in boxing.
Wanderson de Oliveira vs. Dzmitry Asanau (63kg Round of 16) — Whilst it may seem a little strange to put a 3:2 split-decision win in the best performances column, make no mistake — Oliveira won this comfortably, and it wasn’t close either. Asanau, a very good boxer in his own right, had the edge in volume but all of the quality work was coming from the Brazilian, who was slicker, sharper and more accurate. There’s a real stylish quality to Oliveira too, with switch-hitting, bolo punches and flashy upper-body movement all on the menu, and he looked excellent against one of the best fighters in the division. With an easier draw, we’d have likely seen Oliveira on the podium.
Best Knockouts
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Hebert Sousa KO3 Oleksandr Khyzhiak (75kg Final) — I’d already pencilled Khataev-Jalidov in as KO of the year until this happened. Down on the cards in the Olympic final against an unstoppable opponent, Hebert Sousa summoned a lightning bolt of a left hook from out of nowhere to send Khyzhniak crashing down to the canvas. The Ukrainian got back to his feet — too quickly, if anything — but with his legs clearly not under him the referee waved the fight off to crown Sousa the Olympic champion, in one of the biggest upsets in amateur boxing history. An unforgettable ending to the Brazilian’s fairytale run in Tokyo, and without a doubt my favourite moment of the games.
Imam Khataev KO3 Gazimagomed Jalidov (81kg Quarterfinal) — Jalidov made the mistake of standing in front of Khataev and quickly paid the price, with the latter’s superior firepower seeing him dominate the opening two rounds to take an unassailable lead on the cards. It looked like Jalidov would make it to the final bell as Khataev backed off in the third, but with only seconds to go the Russian detonated a perfectly timed right hand that turned Jalidov’s legs into jelly, punctuating a dominant performance with a highlight-reel KO.
Enmanuel Reyes KO2 Vassiliy Levit (91kg Round of 16) — Since Savón retired, we haven’t seen too many knockouts from fighters schooled in the Cuban amateur system. But Reyes, who had never previously beaten an opponent inside the distance, proved that he was a force to be reckoned with after knocking out Olympic silver medallist Vassiliy Levit in the prelims. A crisp 1-2 buckled Levit’s knees at the start of the second round, and Reyes followed up with heavy shots that put the Kazakh on the floor. Whilst he managed to climb off the canvas, Levit looked dazed and unsteady with the referee deciding to stop the fight. An emphatic finish to cap off a flawless performance from Reyes.
Eumir Marcial KO1 Arman Darchinyan (75kg Quarterfinal) — Marcial looked dangerous from the opening bell here, with Darchinyan reduced to a punching bag as the Filipino speedster rattled off combinations to the head and body. The southpaw 1-2-3 worked particularly well for him, and ultimately proved to be Darchinyan’s downfall as Marcial landed a perfectly timed lead hook that spun the Armenian off his feet. The fact that Darchinyan had never been stopped before makes this one even more impressive.
Underperformers
Amit Panghal (IND) — Despite being one of the favourites to win gold at flyweight, Amit went one-and-done in Tokyo after crashing out to Yuberjen Martínez in the round of 16. Whilst he can count himself a little unlucky to run into an opponent as good as Martínez early on in the tournament, there were never going to be many easy fights in a division as strong as 52kg, and what disappointed me more than anything was the the way in which he lost. Amit just couldn’t live with Martínez once he ramped up the pressure, going into survival mode from the second round onwards, and questions need to be asked regarding his tactics and preparation. You feel that, given Zoirov and Hu’s early exits, this was the perfect chance for Amit to capitalise on an increasingly open flyweight field - yet he ultimately capitulated at the first hurdle. The Indian star is certainly talented — anyone who has watched him can see that — but there are some major holes in his game that can’t be fixed overnight, and with Paris only three years away it may be time for the national team to start looking at 23 year-old Deepak Kumar, who bagged the biggest win of his career against world champion Shakhobidin Zoirov back in February. Whether they decide to stick or twist remains to be seen.
Ablaikhan Zhussupov (KAZ) — Zhussupov, a former youth world champion, looked a serious threat to medal at welterweight, but his run in Tokyo was cut short following an upset loss to Delante Johnson in the round of 16. The Kazakh’s lack of upper-body movement ultimately cost him, as he got clipped with counters coming in and was second best during exchanges throughout. Zhussupov has only ever really been beaten by the elite at 69kg, so losing to Johnson - a solid fighter who’s not quite on that level - certainly came as a surprise. A year to forget for the 24 year-old so far.
Peter McGrail (GBR) — McGrail took bronze at the World Championships back in 2019, and whilst he wasn’t nailed on for a medal you’d have expected to see the Brit in the mix. A matchup with perennial Thai contender Chatchai Butdee was always going to be a tough first outing though, and McGrail couldn’t find his A-game on the day as Butdee outboxed the Brit to take a comfortable points win. Coming into this tournament, McGrail looked flat in a loss to Roland Galos at the European qualifying tournament, and he was never quite able to shake off the ring rust in time for Tokyo. A disappointing end to the Brit’s amateur career, although we’ll be seeing plenty more of him in the pro’s no doubt.
Zakir Safiullin (KAZ) — Whilst Safiullin has always been a tough out for most fighters at 63kg, he’s never quite belonged amongst the division’s elite and at 34 years-old I didn’t like his chances of medalling in Tokyo. But a favourable draw gave Safiullin an easy path to the semi-finals, and with it a golden opportunity to make his first podium. The Kazakh never really looked convincing though, having a tough time with Peru’s Leodan Pezo in the preliminary round before dropping a tight split-decision to Australia’s Harry Garside in the quarter-finals. Garside is a solid fighter, tricky and unorthodox, but Safiullin should have had the beating of him only to fall short once again.
Mourad Aliev (FRA) — Aliev came into this tournament full of confidence after triumphing at the European Olympic qualifiers, and looked likely to medal in a weak 91+kg field. A quarterfinal against Britain’s Frazer Clarke — who Aliev had beaten a month prior — stood in the way of a spot on the podium, but the Frenchman was his own worst enemy here after getting disqualified in the second round for repeated fouls. Whilst there’s been plenty of controversy around whether that was the right call, Aliev had already been warned for using his head with Clarke suffering two separate cuts as a result, and he continued to test the referee’s patience with roughhousing in the clinch. A tough way to go out, but Aliev only has himself to blame really.
Biggest Surprises
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Carlo Paalam (PHL) — Paalam wasn’t really on my radar heading into the games — that’s not to say that he’s a bad fighter or anything, just that no one could have predicted how 52kg would turn out. But the Filipino flyweight quickly proved he meant business, notching wins over Brendan Irvine and Mohamed Flissi before knocking off reigning Olympic and world champion Shakhobidin Zoirov in the quarters after their bout was stopped on a headclash. Paalam went on to break Japanese hearts with a convincing win against Ryomei Tanaka in the semi’s, but had to ultimately settle for silver after losing to Britain’s Galal Yafai in a closely-fought final. There’s a lot to like about the 23 year-old Paalam though, and he has a promising future ahead of him in the pro’s.
Samuel Takyi (GHA) — 20 year-old Takyi was the standout amongst a strong African contingent in Japan, turning a few heads en route to securing Olympic bronze for Ghana at featherweight. Whilst Duke Ragan proved a step too far in the semi-finals, expect to see plenty of promoters trying to get their hands on Takyi when he switches over. The Ghanian is rough around the edges but clearly talented, and his length and hand-speed could make him a real handful in the pro’s. Given his age, there’s plenty of time to polish things up too.
Harry Garside (AUS) — Garside certainly made an impression in Tokyo, with his ‘80s mullet and unorthodox style seeing him become a bit of a fan favourite, and the Aussie backed it up with some assured performances in the ring — frustrating opponents with nimble footwork and snappy counters in an unlikely run to the semi-finals. Garside admittedly got a little bit of help on the cards along the way, but he showed that his bronze medal was no fluke after putting in a solid effort against Andy Cruz in the semi’s.
Daniyal Shahbakhsh (IRN) — Whilst Iran isn’t exactly a powerhouse when it comes to amateur boxing, they have a real talent on their hands in the form of 21 year-old Daniyal Shahbakhsh. The young Iranian has style and skill in abundance and he gave a great account of himself against four-time world champion Lazaro Álvarez in the round of 16, bringing the best out of the Cuban before the referee called a halt to the fight on a fairly innocuous cut. Even though he didn’t medal or anything, Shahbakhsh is definitely a name to keep an eye out for.
Abner Teixeira (BRA) — Considering that Robson Conceiçao won their first ever Olympic gold in boxing back at Rio 2016, it’s pretty remarkable how strong the Brazilian national team looked here. They’ve clearly developed a world class amateur boxing programme in the last couple of years, and success stories like Teixeira underline that. A few amateur boxing heads would have been familiar with the Brazilian after he ran Erislandy Savón close at the 2019 Pan-Ams, but Teixeira will have picked up plenty of new fans after his slugfest with Hussein Iashaish in the quarter finals. Here’s to hoping we see some of these Brazilians turn over.
Duke Ragan (USA) — Despite winning silver at the World Championships back in 2017, Ragan’s career had been derailed by injuries over the past couple of years and he barely even made the squad for Tokyo after losing to Bruce Carrington and David Navarro at the U.S. Olympic Trials — only for USA Boxing to change their selection policy at the last minute. But that gamble ultimately paid off, as Ragan looked back to his best in Japan after navigating a tough matchup against France’s Samuel Kistohurry in the prelims. The American was too sharp for Serik Temirzhanov in the round of 16, and he edged past a game Kurt Walker before out pointing Samuel Takyi to reach the final. Although Ragan will obviously be disappointed that he couldn’t go all the way here after suffering a narrow loss to #3 seed Albert Batyrgaziev of Russia, a silver medal is still a hell of an achievement in a weight class as stacked as featherweight.
Worst Decisions
Admit it — you were probably expecting a pretty lengthy section dedicated to all of the robberies that took place in Tokyo. But I’m pleased to say that the judging was markedly better here than it has been in recent years, save for one or two particularly egregious blunders, and generally the right man won. The only decision that I can recall being outright bad was Tanaka-Martínez at flyweight, where the home fighter got battered and had to leave the arena in a wheelchair but somehow still got the nod, and that was straight up indefensible. There were a couple of other results I disagreed with — namely Johnson-Arregui, Walker-Mirzakhalilov and Radzionau-Ekinci — yet I wouldn’t go as far as calling them robberies outright. The bigger issue overall was consistency when it came to round-by-round scoring; we saw some pretty wacky scorecards turned in at times, and it’s clear that there’s still no uniform understanding of the criteria. There’s room for improvement when it comes to the officiating too, with referees ruling clear knockdowns as slips and mistaking damage from a punch as being caused by a head clash. Considering how much of a difference this can make on the outcome of a fight, it might be worth considering the introduction of video review in order to iron these mishaps out. Overall though, Tokyo 2020 was a major success for amateur boxing and — hold your breath — the sport might just be heading in the right direction.